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Curators of Thalassian Culture
The Curators of Thalassian Culture are a sect of the largely Quel'dorei Highguard, an order within the Silver Covenant devoted to the preservation and expansion of traditional Quel'dorei culture. Working from their Dalaran headquarters, the Hall of Thalassian Ancestry, the curators work to preserve their ancient culture in a variety of ways, including archaeological expeditions, traditional ceremonies, Thalassian lessons, historical and genealogical work. Since the lowering of the barrier around Suramar City, the Curators are devoted to fully exploring the potential for Quel'dorei settlement in the ancient city and if promising, establish the Curators' chief priority, a safe and distinctly Quel'dorei living and breathing home in which the traditional culture of Quel'Thalas may blossom once more. With the Hall of Thalassian Ancestry in Dalaran, the Thalassian Cultural Center, and prospects of a gallery on Quel'Danas, the Curators are excited for the opportunity to showcase and bring their culture to life and have a number of impressive finds, though their ultimate goals extend far beyond museums and shops to a true rebirth of Quel'dorei civilization. The collection and re-creation of pieces from the long Quel'dorei past dominated much of the order's work prior to Suramar as does keeping Thalassian customs alive and teaching of High Elven Culture and Thalassian to those whom seek, striving to close cultural divides through understanding as well as preservation. While in lands laden with elven history as Azsuna and Suramar, Highborne era finds are common, though with focus on the liberation of Suramar and the establishment of a Quel'dorei settlement, much of the order's typical historical and archaeological work in the Broken Isles is superceded by operational tasks amidst the effort and wider war with the Legion. Not hesitant to delve into dangerous places to uncover important pieces of history, the curators, though scholars, are a combat-ready unit, with potentially dangerous excursions supported by the 812th Farstrider Battalion and other divisions of the Highguard. Most current operations focus on the Suramar Campaign, though the Curators' hold great interest in the history of the Broken Isles and look to begin exploring elven heritage sites after the hopefully successful settlement effort and a general calming of matters. The Curators' collection contains a number of priceless items from throughout the history of Quel'Thalas, including a portrait of Sun King Anasterian Sunstrider in remarkably good condition (pictured), a scepter believed to have belonged to High Priest Vandellor, ancient spellbreaker armor, interesting runed items and a growing collection of tomes among their collection, the Curators have ambitious goals, not content to but display High Thalassian culture in galleries, but to ultimately help bring an end to the wandering of the Quel'dorei, and wherever that wandering does end, use the knowledge and relics gathered from the past to inspire the future Quel'dorei home. Regularly conducting excavations and seeking out sources of historical knowledge, the Curators have a particular interest in aspects of Quel'dorei culture which are closest to extinction, with the traditional Quel'dorei priesthood and light-based practices an area of focus, as with architectural blueprints and designs from which to develop scale models of pre-invasion Quel'Thalas for display, and to better assure that when they're lands to work with, the structures built will capture the essence of the Quel'Thalas being destroyed by horde influence. The Curators of Thalassian Culture welcome the aid or presence of all interested in passing on their own memories, as well as those interested in learning of the previously reclusive kingdom. The sect also focuses on helping Quel'dorei and half-elves connect or reconnect with their natural connection to nature, often spending time in the lush forests of Quel'Danas. Half-elves expressing a yearning to better understand their often previously repressed Quel'dorei side make up the bulk of those with those such interest, and the Curators are happy to teach them of the legacy and connection to the natural and arcane world flowing through them. The pathway to the order's long-term goal of a living, breathing, truly Quel'dorei home and memorial is long, but with growing numbers and impressive finds coming in, its members are confident of their eventual success believing that unlike similar orders as the Explorers' League and Reliquary, the Curators act with principle and meaning, valuing finds based on their cultural and historical worth, not their monetary value, and stand determined to usher in a Quel'Dorei renaissance. Seeking broader support from the Quel'dorei diaspora and beyond, their Hall of Thalassian Ancestry sits near the pond in the Violet City, and offers a warm welcome to all neutral or alliance-affiliated parties interested in their work. While focused most heavily on the time period between the founding of the Sunwell and its destruction, the Curators often explore pre-Azsharan sites, generally Highborne, compiling much genealogical information as well as the tools and weapons used by the ancestors of modern elves. With a large collection of tomes, spellbooks, and other scrolls from across elven history, linguistic analysis of the elven language and its development to all modern branches provides a deeper sense of understanding both the past and present. Such work has proven useful in understanding the Shal'dorei language, as well as related lineages that may yet survive among the long isolated elven population. Items & Projects Under Former Lord Curator Entilzha Firesong *Painting of Sun King Anasterian (pictured above) *Ancient Runed Spellbreaker Armor *Sun Scepter of Vandellor (confirmed as likely authentic by Auroralina Ivenhart) *Eye of Silvermoon *Artifact Spellbow *Recovered Thalassian Prayerbook *Vash'jir Highborne Scepter (what appears to be half) *Raw and jeweled eternite (a magical ore believed to have originated in the Well of Eternity *Tapestry of the Sunwell's Founding *Elunite Weaponry *Elven Linguistic and Language Center *Azsharan era Priestess Regalia Replicas have been forged of both an ancient spellbow design and a set of heavy plate armor believed to have belonged to a guard involved in the defense of the Key of Three Moons. The Curators follow a policy of permitting recovered weaponry to be lightly tested to gauge their capacity, but barred from combat use. Replicas will have no such limitation. Limited exceptions have been made since the Burning Legion has begun, notably a set of elaborate priestess regalia pre-dating the Sundering and believed locked in a vault since before the breaking. With a design involving Eternite, Azsharite, and Elunite finely woven into moonsilks bearing potent enchantments and runes, a Quel'dorei Elune priestess involved with the discovery has been putting the ensemble to the use it seems to have missed in the War of the Ancients. Any wishing to see the pieces above or other items in the collection should visit the Hall of Thalassian Ancestry in Dalaran, and should settlement efforts in Suramar succeed, replicas and statues from the Curators' archive are intended for public display to establish a distinctly Thalassian feel and culture in the High Elven districts. Gallery on Quel'Danas Plans are in the works for a gallery upon the Isle of Quel'Danas which would grant access of important, cultural finds to the sin'dorei as well. Category:High Elf Organizations Category:Education Organizations Category:The Highguard Category:Archaeology Organizations Category:Silver Covenant Category:Curators of Thalassian Culture Category:High Elf